It's difficult to absorb that statement with a straight face after what we've seen through three games.

Sure, Warren bulldozed his way through San Jose State for 166 yards on 16 carries. But in two defeats to Power Five foes, the 250-pound back received a combined 10 carries.

Even with D'Onta Foreman leading the backfield last season, Warren received 15.5 handoffs per game before succumbing to a season-ending injury.

In Saturday's game against the Trojans, Warren had three carries for 10 yards in the first quarter. He didn't touch the ball again until UT's final drive of regulation, taking one handoff for five yards. His only other touch came on an 11-yard reception in the second overtime period.

"After the big game he had against San Jose, I assume he thinks every game is going to be that way," Beck said. "Unfortunately, he becomes a marked man. That's all everyone talked about was stopping our run game. They (USC) have good coaches and good players over there too. I'm sure that was their main emphasis and they did a good job at it. I know he is, and we're going to continue to work to figure out the best ways to be able to use all of our players to the best of their abilities."

Coach Tom Herman said it's imperative for UT to get the bruiser more yards. But, like Orlando, he noted how game flow can foil even the best laid plans.

"I do think that throughout the course of the game, you've got to do what you're doing well," Herman said. "You can't fix that kind of problem, I don't think, in the middle of the game. That problem needs to get fixed this week and next week in practice, and we've already spent very little time watching the USC game. We've spent a lot of time talking about how we're going to run the football better."

With a trip to Iowa State looming, Herman and Beck have a week left to address whatever issues have cropped up in their backfield. Unfortunately for UT's offensive minds, establishing a stable ground attack will become even more difficult with left tackle and offensive line linchpin Connor Williams set to undergo knee surgery.

Down three key members of the offensive line, in addition to tight end Andrew Beck, the Longhorns' lack of proven run blockers poses a potentially fatal problem.

"When you can run the football, you can pretty much can control the game and do what you want to do," Beck said. "We were unable to do that.

"We believe in the run game. Obviously, with our offensive line being a young group right now and having some of the injuries that we have, we're regrouping right now, settling in on our guys, working fundamentals and techniques to become better at doing those things to be able to be who we want to be."